NBC Orders 13 Episodes of David Duchovny Period Drama on the Hunt for Charles Manson

NBC Orders 13 Episodes of David Duchovny Period Drama on the Hunt for Charles Manson

David Duchovny may not be returning as Fox Mulder any time soon, but any “X-Files” fans missing the site of the show’s former leading man carrying a gun and a badge can rejoice. NBC has placed a 13 episode, straight-to-series order for “Aquarius,” a 1960s set show focusing on an LAPD sergeant’s hunt for Charles Manson, according to Variety.

“Event series are a big priority for us, and the combination of a show that charts the lead-up to the Manson murders, along with a television star of the magnitude of David Duchovny, is the very definition of an event,” NBC Entertainment prexy Jennifer Salke told Variety.

The show will track Duchovny’s character and his younger partner as they first start the hunt for a man luring women to his cult. John McNamara (“In Plain Sight,” “Profit”) is writing the series with Duchovny, Marty Adelstein (“Prison Break”), and Melanie Green executive producing. The pickup marks a reunion for Duchovny and NBC Entertainment chief Bob Greenblatt who have collaborated on Duchovny’s two biggest hits, “The X-Files” and “Californication.”

“I’m thrilled to be working with Bob Greenblatt again and coming back to broadcast television,” Duchovny told Variety. “I think ‘Aquarius’ has a chance to be a special show and I can’t wait to get going.”

“Californication” is set to end its run this year, and with well-reviewed crime stories like “True Detective” and “Hannibal” dominating the airwaves (or at least cultural criticism), this seems like a good move for Duchovny. At the very least, X-Philes will be drooling at the mouth for the first image of Fox Mulder in a fedora.